So, here I am, in my sophomore performance.
I’ve recently returned from a short getaway to New York City, aka Manhattan for you early Native Americans, and aka New Amsterdam for you early 1600’s settlers.
My family and I did the traditional touristy things and spent many hours on the top of the bus or in the back of a carriage-drawn bicycle. Money well spent, I suppose. I enjoyed the never-ending name dropping: Mr. Diehard lives here and another Mr. Famous was shot there, etc. Assuming, of course that this big-city trivia is remotely accurate. Who am I to doubt the historical accuracy from a bicycle-riding student from Bulgaria?
I found it odd that hundreds of people sit in lawn chairs in the heart of Times Square – all day long, 7 days a week. It’s quite a sight. The first time I saw it, I assumed that a street performance was about to begin – but no. It’s common place. Locals, tourists – they just sit there and watch the world go by, surrounded by all the never-ending lights of Times Square.
Apparently, all those companies advertising in Times Square are spending $600,000 PER MONTH to advertise there. Isn’t that sick? That’s over $7 million a year for EACH of those companies – and there’s dozens of them. Isn’t our society’s priorities warped? Just think how much further ahead our medical science could be if they re-directed even half of that wasteful spending to research.
I’ll step down from my soap box.
There seems to be quite a concerted effort by the tour guides to distinguish between ‘Old Money’ and ‘New Money’. Mr. Old Money owns these seven blocks and Mrs. New Money lives up there in the tower with her husband, Mr. Sony. All I know is that, old or new, they’ve all spent WAY TOO much money on real estate in New York. Most of them can’t descend their elevator and leave their building without seeing so much as a tree. Mostly concrete and asphalt for as far as the eye can see. Did you know that I have grass outside MY Thorold front door and several trees to look at - complete with their own singing birds. These millionaires would be jealous if they only knew how little I spent compared to them.
The new President is all the rage down there. Only time will tell if this change is the change that they were looking for. All I know is that several street vendors tried to sell me condoms with his likeness on them. Nothing says love like sharing the inner beauty of your significant other with the President’s likeness. I’ve heard of walking in another man’s shoes, but this is going too far.
New York was a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. It’s good to be back to my small town. I was born in a small town, and I can breathe in a small town, probably die in this same small town.
[Insert John Cougar copyright infringement lawsuit here]
Thanks Rich for the invite. See you again in 3 years.
...Skeeter
2 comments:
Do Coke and Pepsi have 7-million-dollar spaces side by side? I hope so. I hope that the $2.00 I pay at the vending machine is buying me more than just 4 cents worth of malted battery acid. I hope it's also buying me the privilege of being told what to think.
I quite like New York, actually. I can do without trees for a week at a time. There are other beautiful things besides. Like people. Oh, and the food!
Sir, it's most excellent to have you back. You must not wait another three years. I shall send you on another vacation to report on just as soon as I arrange a corporate sponsorship deal!
"Let's hear a laugh for the man of the world who thinks he can make things work. He tried to build a new Jerusalem and ended up with New York." - Bruce Cockburn
I've never been to New York and while I think I'd like to visit and do the touristy thing, I'm not really all that anxious. It seems too big and too in a hurry. I'd love to see a Broadway play, but then I'm cheap and couldn't imagine spending $100 for the privilege.
I'm a suburban girl and I like it like that.
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